2023: Tinubu’s Presidency Will Benefit Igbos Largely – Orji Kalu Says

 

Senator Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu has assured Igbos will be the biggest beneficiaries of the presidency of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

 He urged the South East to embrace the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

The former Abia Governor also told the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi that presidency is not a regional affair.

Kalu, who spoke to reporters at the National Assembly, said: “Presidency is not a regional issue. I asked the political parties to zone the presidency to the South East. When they didn’t do that, and since presidency is not a regional issue, I had to withdraw.

“I have no problem with Igbo man being president. But we have to do it with other Nigerians. If we don’t do it with other Nigerians, it is not going to work, no matter how popular you are. It’s president of Nigeria, not president of Igbo land.

“I’m an Igbo man to the core. I’m also a Nigerian to the core. If anyone from the Southeast would have been nominated for presidency, I would have been the one. So, it’s a party business. I have no grudges against anybody who is running.

“So, it is not personal. It is political and party. This thing is about party winning election. I have chosen to be in APC. Why will I vote against Tinubu? It’s madness, and I’m not going to do it. Elections go along party line, not along tribal line.

“For me, we will wait for another time and see how all Nigerians will agree to zone the presidency to the Igbo land. But for now, our presidential candidate is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Tinubu is a strategic, he will make his presidency beneficial to the Igbos. The Igbos will be the biggest beneficiaries of Tinubu’s presidency.”

 

Road To 2023: Nine APC Presidential Aspirants To Step Down For Senate President, Lawan – Orji Kalu Says

Former Abia state governor and Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, says nine presidential aspirants from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to step down for Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

However, Mr Kalu, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, did not list the nine aspirants’ names.

“The issue of the APC presidential candidate will be settled even before the primaries.

“As I am talking to you, about nine presidential aspirants from our party have intimated to me of their plans to drop their presidential ambition to support Ahmad Lawan,” Mr Kalu said.

The senator was the first to drop his presidential ambition in support of Mr Lawan on the grounds of the failure of APC to zone the presidential ticket to the South-East.

“Lawan is from the North-East and has similar sympathy with the South-East that is yet to produce a president.”

He also disclosed that an influential aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform would defect to APC soon.

“We are also expecting an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition to join the APC.

“So, you can see the party is very progressive and properly ready for Lawan’s emergence,“ the former governor of Abia said.

On the call for postponement of primary elections by some political parties, Mr Kalu said he does not expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to listen to them.

He said the parties were duly informed and should have prepared well as mandated by the electoral body.

“Extension of the dates will only support irresponsibility. Nigerians find it difficult to keep to time and appointments, so they would invariably seek extra time.

“I support INEC to stick to their timetable; otherwise, we will be living with postponement after postponement. Such a trend is not healthy for a society and its people.”